In continuous-forms printing systems, one or more marking engines are used to apply marking material (e.g., aqueous ink) onto a web of print media. The web is driven through the marking engines and into a dryer. The dryer proceeds to heat the web and dry the marking material onto the web. During this process, the web moves quickly across the printing system in order to enable fast printing speeds. For example, the web may travel at many linear feet per second through the printing system.
In continuous-forms printing systems with multiple marking engines, an upstream marking engine may be used to mark one side of the web, while a downstream marking engine may be used to mark the other side of the web. In order to avoid smearing the marking material during printing on the downstream marking engine, a dryer will typically be placed between the upstream and downstream marking engine in order to dry the web before it enters the second marking engine. The dryer heats the web in order to affix the marking material onto the web.
Unfortunately, print heads of marking engines should be maintained within a relatively narrow operating range of temperature. If the operating temperature range of the print heads is not maintained, the physical properties of the marking material (e.g., its viscosity) may be altered, which may have a detrimental effect on print quality, and may even clog a print head. This problem is compounded when heat from the dried web contributes to the heat generated within the downstream marking engine.
Existing systems use chilled rollers to reduce the temperature of a web back to ambient temperature after the web has been dried and before the web enters the downstream marking engine. However, this process takes up valuable floor space at a print shop, and also consumes a great deal of power, which increases the expense of printing operations.